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ALEXANDER'S POVI watched her eyes twinkle, she had a small smile with widened until she she could no longer contain it. She burst out laughing.Her laughter was a soft hearty sound and it warmed my heart."Why are you laughing?" I asked, unable to hold my laughter too."What just happened?" She asked, giggling.She turned to me, laying on her side and also propping her head up with a hand.“And why are you smiling?” She returned the question.For a moment, I lost myself in her eyes, ablaze with excitement and joy. There was a peace in them, that seemed to calm the constant anxiety and restlessness inside of me.Lying here, I thought of nothing else, except this woman beside me. Of the way she had just fucked me out of my mind… of just how beautiful she was and most especially, of how alluring her body was but right now, I could see light freckles across her nose that I hadn't noticed before, the thickness of her lashes, and the small lines underneath her eyes.She was flesh and blood
ISABELLA'S POVI went to my room and decided to have a quick shower with cold water. The water helped keep me awake and wash off the scent of sweet, passionate sex from me. But I could still smell him.I quickly wore silk pajamas that Edwards had gotten for me some months back. Then I went to the guest room where Brianna was staying.I walked into her room and met her sitting upright in bed, she was flipping through a Nora Roberts novel."Really Bella? Really!!!?" I ignored her and took a seat on the fluffy bed.I glanced over at her narrowed gaze.With a sigh, Brianna collapsed back to the bed, momentarily suspending her annoyance so she could listen to what I had to say."C'mon, Bella talk to me. I know you had fun and all that but you know this is something to be kept secret. You shouldn't be laying on his bed having lover's talks.""I wasn't having a lover's talk,” I replied.Her response was a frown. She soon shook it away. “So, what happened? Why did you take so long?” Her eyes
ISABELLA'S POVThe days before Alex left were one of the best days of my life.Now, it has been almost a week since he left and I've tried not to think about him, not like I could. Instead, the want and need hadn’t lessened; if anything, they had grown stronger. But every time the temptation to call Alex began undermining my common sense, I kept busy to distract myself from thinking of him.We already agreed that it was just sex. I didn't want to seem too attached to him, so I decided not to call him or text him. That way, it would be easier to forget him.When I slept, it was with the memory of him holding me in his arms, but more often I lay awake, my body soft and aching for his hardness to surround him. I couldn’t sleep and my appetite had suffered. I couldn’t even have sex with Edward, because the simple fact was that I couldn't stand him touching me. He didn’t even tempt me enough to arouse me. When I closed my eyes at night, I saw Alex, with his unruly dark hair and clear, gray
ALEXANDER'S POVIt was my norm now to be woken up in the middle of the night, my body drenched with sweat, and my mind haunted by the vivid memories of the girl I had told myself that I would so easily be able to forget.In the two weeks since I’d returned, however, Isabella had taken complete and total control of me, and it was driving me crazy. I couldn’t even have sex with other women, because the simple fact was that other women didn’t even tempt me enough to arouse me.The games played by women who tried to attract me did nothing other than turn me off.I needed to be with her again… and the longing drowned out everything else in my life.I understood I had to keep my distance. Hell.... she's my father's wife. I shouldn't be fantasizing about her at all, but still, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about her.It was almost 4 pm and I was in my hotel room. Today has been a long day. My thoughts, however, were soon diverted.A few weeks ago, I received an invitation to a birthda
ALEXANDER'S POV"What are you doing Alex?" I didn't miss the venomous glance, however brief, she sent my way. She tried to free her hands but I grabbed onto her arm."Calm down," I said. I led her to an elevator. We weren't alone, however. There were two other people in the elevator. I leaned over her to press the close button. The elevator slid shut, and we were on our way up."Alex, am I being kidnapped?" Isabella whispered.I chuckled quietly. "I'm only taking you to have a breath of fresh air and some quiet. It was getting rather noisy down there."She briefly glanced at me and was quiet. She immediately stepped out just as the elevator opened. I slipped my hands into my pocket to control the urge seemingly burning through my skin to reach out to touch her.I didn’t realize just how intimately my body reacted to hers. I had to constantly catch myself from sliding my arm around her waist to guide her, and from brushing my hand down her slender arms. I wanted to brush away the tendr
ALEXANDER POVIsabella's eyes widened in horror, and I took a step back, trying to grasp the abrupt change in her demeanor.Her panic was unmistakable as her eyes darted around, scanning for possible escape routes. I could see the fear etched on her face."Relax," I urged, reaching out to steady her trembling shoulders. "It's just Lucas. Why are you so scared?"Her response came out in a rush of words, anxiety lacing every syllable. "You don't understand, Lucas will think something is going on between both of us. He's..." She hesitated, struggling to find the right words."He's what?" I prodded gently, my concern growing."He's not a nice person," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And he may blow things out of proportion if he sees us here alone."My mind raced to process what she had just said. Lucas is my brother, and even though we weren't best friends, even though I didn't trust him still I didn't expect Bella to be nervous about his presence."Isabella, what do you mea
ISABELLA'S POVIt was a Tuesday morning and Edward was taking a shower, getting prepared for work. It was quiet and I enjoyed the peace. I was reading a James Hadley Chase Novel, but I couldn't concentrate on the story. I read one paragraph over and over again, still not quite grasping the message.I picked up my phone and saw a missed call from my mother, and a text from Brianna asking how my trip went, but nothing else… especially from him.I hadn’t even realized that I still nursed the hope that Alex would reach out, and the fact that he hadn’t hurt more than I wanted to accept.I shut my eyes and all that came to mind was... Alex.His almost boyish grin, but with that intensity raging in the depths of his glare.What's wrong with me? Why do I keep thinking about him? I kept chanting to myself.I remembered the party last week and how he had stood up for me. How he had dragged me out of Edward's arms, as he paraded me as his prized possession.I didn't feel angry towards Edward. Be
ISABELLA'S POVI knew I didn't nod because I accepted what Edward was saying, but just for the acknowledgment that I heard him. Whatever thoughts I had about Alex was the furthest thing from my mind, as all I could think about was the fact that Edward didn't want me to actualize my dreams. I had given up on having children just because he didn't want kids. He didn't want any conflict over his properties to arise after his demise between his children and any children I may have. Even though I've always wanted children, I gave up on that dream because Edward didn't want any more children.I knew I would disobey him this time.I rose to my feet, took his plate, and mine, then headed over to the sink. I rinsed out the plates and proceeded to load them into the dishwasher. The maid hadn't come yet and I needed the chore to keep me busy.I stared at my phone screen, barely managing not to cry. I texted Brianna about my conversation with Edward and I awaited her response. I just hoped she wa
ALEXANDER POVWe lay now in her bed, rumpled and all over each other. She was on her side as she stared at me, those dark orbs portraying so many emotions. I remember the very first day I met her. I hadn’t been able to see her eyes quite well, but then I could tell that she wanted me and fought deeply against it until she finally gave in. It feels like ages now. Now I watched her, wishing I could tell her so many things and nothing at the same time.“We need to talk,” I said, my mint breath washing over her face. “We have so much to talk about, don’t you think so?”She squeezed her face into a frown. “No, I don’t think we need to talk about anything.”“Isabella, you know I have to explain the situation to Madison. It’s not what you think it is.”“I don’t care what it is, Alex. I just don’t want to talk about it now. Can we not ruin the mood, please?”I nodded slowly. I didn’t understand her. She had practically jumped on me when she found out that Madison and I were now together. She
ISABELLA POVWe took a walk around the plane to the hotel I was in. I didn’t remember following him out right after I gave him that hot slap, but I did. Eventually, we sat under a bamboo cover at the outdoor bar of the hotel. The sun was bright, and the pool was empty. It would have been the perfect day to swim and wallow in sadness, but the source of my sadness was right in front of me.His face was blank and expressionless. He ordered drinks for the both of us; so natural, so neutral, as though we had not been fighting for the past few weeks, and abandoned me for some other girl. When the drinks came, he slowly pushed one towards me with a small smile.“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” he said dryly. “Suiting, I suppose, for the kind of person that you are.”I shook my head at him, somewhat surprised by his choice of language. “And what type of person am I, Alexander? The one who is married to your father or the one that you should just not mess with?”He looked away instantly,
ISABELLA POVI woke up with a soft warmth in my chest. Alexander was with me. I stretched and yawned in bed, tapping the other side of my bed with a grin on my face. I expected him to be there, to reach for me as I had reached for him, to wrap me in his arms.He was not.I opened my eyes and gasped when I realized that I was alone in bed. I sat up in urgency, my eyes quickly scanning the room. It was a mess. It was as though someone had snuck in and made love to me. It was Alexander. It had to be. My bed was a mess. The bottle of wine I had brought in lay on the floor, and the wine spilled. My bikini lay in the puddle of the spilled wine, and the white duvet from the bed had also fallen to the ground, stained by the wine too. The bedside table was pushed to the corner, its contents on the floor.“What the hell…”I didn’t even have the time to assimilate what was happening when a loud knock came on the door. I jumped, a bit startled. Then I drew my hands through my hair and tried to or
ISABELLA POVI woke up to an empty room and silence. It was the third time I was waking up that day, and this was only my second day on the vacation Edward had placed me on. I slowly got down from bed and rubbed my eyes, my worry seeping into the ends of my skull. How long would I continue living like this, yearning for someone I could never have again? Someone who’s so obviously moved on?I walked to the window and looked down from my hotel room. The view overlooked the pine trees and the pool the hotel had, plus the bar that had very few people in it. This was good. I could go down and have a few beers and try to associate. Or I could just soak myself in the water and sun. That would be even better.“Time to get your act together, Isabella,” I told myself.Taking a shower was long and tiring, but I managed to get past it. Then I slipped into a bikini and a wrap and walked out of the room. The fresh air was pleasant and nice, but it was not enough. Somehow the air back home seemed mu
ISABELLA POVI woke up to an empty room and silence. It was the third time I was waking up that day, and this was only my second day on the vacation Edward had placed me on. I slowly got down from bed and rubbed my eyes, my worry seeping into the ends of my skull. How long would I continue living like this, yearning for someone I could never have again? Someone who’s so obviously moved on?I walked to the window and looked down from my hotel room. The view overlooked the pine trees and the pool the hotel had, plus the bar that had very few people in it. This was good. I could go down and have a few beers and try to associate. Or I could just soak myself in the water and sun. That would be even better.“Time to get your act together, Isabella,” I told myself.Taking a shower was long and tiring, but I managed to get past it. Then I slipped into a bikini and a wrap and walked out of the room. The fresh air was pleasant and nice, but it was not enough. Somehow the air back home seemed mu
ALEXANDER POVI watched her walk past me without an atom of emotion in her hers. She had averted her gaze when we had locked eyes earlier on, her purpose now solely to leave and get away from my presence as fast as possible. Each time she did this, I couldn’t help but think about how much she must despise me to want to leave my sight as soon as she saw me.Lucas gazed at me as I walked past him, a knowing smirk on his lips. I hated it. I hated it so much that I wanted to reach for him and punch that smile into his face. I hated that he was hanging around Isabella a little too much. I hated that he looked like he held a sort of secret above me while he was the criminal stealing from our father’s company. I hated that he called me little bro just to undermine me in that very sentence as if he was any better than me. I hated him. I hated myself for hating him. I hated life.I suddenly stopped in the hallway, Madison still latched on to my arms. She was so into me that she barely noticed
ISABELLA POVThere was a helicopter waiting for me at Edward’s request in the morning. I gasped when I saw it, jumping out of bed and rushing to the window to gawk at it. He came up behind me with a wide grin on his face.“You’re going to Miami,” he whispered as he wrapped his arms around.As usual, I was tempted to maneuver out of his embrace because it did not feel like home to me, but I held back that feeling. He was not Alexander and will never be, so it was better for me to look past all those feelings now and move on with my life just as Alex had.“I can’t believe this,” I gushed, truly happy at the sight. “When you mentioned mini vacation I really thought you were bluffing.”“I would never bluff at something like that. I really did mean it.” He squeezed me a little harder in his embrace. “There is just something I need you to do for me.”I was tense. “What?”He seemed to notice my tension because he patted my forearms in comfort. “It’s nothing serious, darling. There’s a docume
ALEXANDER POVI felt my blood boiling. I wanted to do something, but there was nothing else to do other than hold the scarf in my hand and seethe in anger. There was a red handprint on her face, so glaring and so visible. It only had to have happened today.Isabella grabbed the scarf off my hands with a sigh. “Don’t do that,” she said, wrapping it around her face once more.“You’re being abused,” I said smoothly. “Dad, you’re abusing her?”“I’m not abusing her,” he said sharply“He’s not abusing me,” Isabella said just at the same time as well.They glanced at each other at their words, then quickly looked away. There was something that passed between them that I couldn’t understand, a silent message. The anger started to boil so fast, I could see steam coming out of my ears.“You’re abusing her!” I accused, slamming my hand hard on the table and causing my father to jerk. “Why are you doing this to her, huh? When has she ever wronged you?!”The businessmen shifted in their seats, uns
ALEXANDER POVEverything around me felt slow and dull. My hands were slack, tied by so many things—responsibilities, Madison, the company. The little ray of sunshine I had left had been snuffed out. This little dinner my father was putting together would not help matters, especially since I would see Isabella there. It didn’t matter if I had been sinning with her for the longest time. It didn’t matter if she was never mine to begin with and I had taken what was not meant for me. It didn’t matter if she hated me now and never wanted to look at my face. All I thought of was how much my heart ached at her absence.I heard Lucas laughing and I went towards the sound, eager to find something else to distract me. I stopped halfway when I saw him leaning over Isabella in the space between the kitchen and the corridor. He was smirking and muttering some words to her. Her face was upturned to his attentively. Even though I couldn’t completely see her face, I knew that she was listening intentl